Fox's Tears
by The Smiling Angel
Summary: No matter how many petals I pick off, this flower will not bring you back into my arms. No matter how many tears I cry, raindrops still fall from the sunlit sky. No matter how hard I try, I cannot forgive you. . . Nor can I forget you. PART ONE: THE TRICKLING RAIN


**Fox's Tears**

**Part 1: The Trickling Rain**

**Chapter 1**

* * *

I close my eyes and listen to the chorus of gently falling raindrops and the wind chime dancing in the breeze. The wet dirt is cold and slimy to my bare feet, but I curl my toes, regardless, into the mud. I can smell the leaves of the pine trees and the chrysanthemum tea brewing somewhere behind me. A light pink umbrella above my head keeps me dry, and a thick black cloak around my shoulders keeps me warm. I slowly raise my right hand, holding it out into the sky, and feel the rain with my palm and fingers. It washes away the scars in my hand. . .

* * *

**14 years ago **

I hold onto my older brother's hand and swing my arm energetically. He slows his normally longer stride so I won't have to run to keep up with him.

I look up at the sky and smile brightly. It is a nice summer day, and the cool wind blows through my loose black hair gently. I raise my feet a bit higher and stomp down on the grass and branches with a loud _crunch_.

"You're going to pull my arm out of my shoulder," scolds my older brother. I turn my gaze to him, worried I was really hurting him, but the good-natured grin on his face makes me think otherwise.

"I'm not hurting you!" I reply with a wide smile. I begin to skip and swing my arm even more. My older brother simply smiles and places his other hand in the pocket of his black jacket. We continue down the path of the forest just outside our home in the outskirts of Konohagakure.

"What are we getting Kaa-san this time?" I ask, looking up at my older brother. He seems to think thoughtfully for a moment, his lips pursed, before motioning to the landscape before us.

"Anything you want," he replies. "I think Okaa-san liked the flowers you got her last time, though." I nod my head and let go of my brother's hand, but he quickly holds onto me. "Where are you going?"

"Gonna pick flowers for Kaa-san," I reply with a pout on my face. My older brother shakes his head and holds onto my hand tightly.

"Not without me. We're staying together."

"I'm not gonna get lost," I say. I tug (hopelessly) on my trapped hand, but my older brother's face remains placid and his iron grip never weakens.

"I told Otou-san I'd stay with you," he said with a slight frown. My lips pout even more, but my older brother suddenly pinches them with his fingers.

"Ow!" I cry as he laughs and pats my head.

"Stop pouting so much," he says as I rub my sore lips. "Your pretty face looks ugly when you do that."

"Tou-san says I always look pretty," I reply with a frown. Was Tou-san lying to me?

My older brother seems to have read my mind. "He only said that because he doesn't want to hurt your feelings."

"Onii-san!" I cry, tugging on his arm harshly. "I'm tellin' Tou-san on you!" My older brother laughs again and continues walking.

"Hurry up or we won't be able to bring flowers to Okaa-san. The visiting hours end at 4." I grudgingly follow my older brother and decide to ask Tou-san if he was lying to me. Even Kaa-san said before that I looked cute even when I pouted!

"What about those flowers?" asks my older brother, pointing to his left. I step forward a bit to see where he was pointing. A small gasp escapes my lips.

"They're so pretty!" I squeal. I try to run towards the flowers, but my older brother stops me with a solid tug on the hand. "What are they?"

"I think they're anemones," my older brother replies. "They symbolize 'sincerity.'" I look up at him in amazement.

"How do you know that?" I ask. My older brother glances down at me and shrugs.

"It's _hanakotoba_," he replies. "You'll learn it soon. Do you want to give Okaa-san anemones today?"

"Mmm-hmm!" I reply with a bright smile. We walk hand-in-hand towards the bush filled with the beautiful white flowers. My older brother finally lets go of my hand, and I crouch down on the ground, folding my arms over my knees. I look up at my brother, who bends down and picks out a single anemone. I do the same and sniff the scent of the flower in my hand.

"Do you like them?" asks my older brother. I nod my head and take another whiff of the anemone.

"Kaa-san will really like them!" I declare and proceed to pick out more anemones. My older brother does the same, and for a while, there is only silence. I pick out about seven flowers when my brother looks down at me.

"I think that's good enough," he says. I stand up straight and examine the anemones my brother is holding. He has a little bit more than I have, but that's okay.

"Can I hold them?" I ask. My brother nods his head and hands me his flowers. I squeal in excitement and arrange his anemones nicely with mine. "Kaa-san will really love them!" My older brother smiles and holds out his hand.

"Let's go see Otou-san and Okaa-san now, Shinju."

I smile as my small hand holds his larger, warm one.

* * *

. . . _How can the rain wash away memories time cannot erase?_

* * *

***Okaa-san/Kaa-san: "Mother/Mom"**

***Otou-san/Tou-san: "Father/Dad"**

***Onii-san: "Older brother"**

***Hanakotoba: "Flower Language" (Japanese)**

**A/N: The following chapters will be much longer than this.**


End file.
